Men

The other night, a man came into the store. He was talking on his cell phone and wandering around aimlessly in the petite section. Not wanting to interrupt his telephone conversation, I quietly asked if he needed help. He said he did.

As it turns out, he was on the phone with his wife. He was asking what size she was and what kind of clothes she liked.

Once he ended the phone conversation, he told me that he and his wife live in Panama and he was going to buy her some clothes as a surprise for an upcoming vacation they had planned.

I asked him what size his wife was. In order to help him out, I told him what size I was.

As you may recall from an earlier post, I am a size 4 petite (4P). This man’s wife was also petite, but she weighed 15 pounds less than me, so I figured she would be a 0P or 2P.

The man went on to tell me that his wife was pretty flat-chested, and then he held up his hand and cupped it, as if to show me how big one of her breasts was.

Seriously. He did this.

I couldn’t help but smile and chuckle a bit. I didn’t take offense at all, because him doing this helped me to really understand what size his wife was. He ended up spending over $300 on three different outfits.

After the transaction, he told me he really appreciated my help.

So, for all the men reading my blog, not every female sales associate will be so friendly and look the other way when you make a rather outwardly sexual gesture in a clothing store, but this man did it in such an innocent way that I was not offended in the least.

And another tip for men – know the sizes of your significant other’s tops & bottoms. That will help me to help you. :)

National Exposure

I was at the gym this morning, like every morning, and I was on the elliptical trainer for an hour.

During this hour, I listened to my iPod while watching the local news on the muted TV in front of me.

This morning, there was a fascinating story about the first woman in the U.S. to receive a face transplant. And while the images on the screen were both fascinating and disturbing at the same time, there was another image I was watching carefully.

The lead surgeon for this patient, who was speaking at a large press conference, was wearing an outfit designed and sold by my store!!

I’ve seen this “national exposure” previously – many national TV personalities wear our clothing and I always feel a sense of pride whenever I see this.

The TV spot lasted only for two minutes, but it was fun and exciting to see the outfit (and the transplant, of course) get national attention.

She Man

Just when I thought I’d seen it all…

The other week, a man came into the store. When this happens, the man generally is with his wife, girlfriend, sister, mother, daughter, etc.

This man was alone.

From the waist up, he looked totally normal – blond hair, nice eyes, pleasant demeanor – he was actually attractive and the kind of man I might have been interested in.

But then I looked closer.

He was wearing a black skirt.

And ballet flats.

He tried on several dresses and skirts and my co-worker helped him shop for things that might look good on his… figure. Alas, he didn’t find anything to buy.

Retail World is full of these off-beat, hard-to-believe stories. Seeing is believing.

Responsibility

A few weeks ago, my manager hired a male sales associate. I’ll call him J.

J went through the mandatory training, as we all do, and was put on the weekly schedule to begin working.

I was excited to meet J – we don’t have any male sales associates at my store and I was curious as to what he’d be like and how he’d interact with our clients. I had really high hopes.

J didn’t show up for his first (non-training) shift. He called that day and spoke to my manager over the telephone and told her he was not coming in.

Why? He was too tired from working his other job.

WHAT?!?

What did J think a second job was? What did he think he was training for?

I never did meet J, because he also “no-showed” for his second shift. At our store, it’s three strikes and you’re out.

In J’s case, it was two strikes. By this point, we all knew J wasn’t coming back.

Heck, he never even really started.

All I know is that J was 19 years old and, from what I heard, he was very good. He even “high-fived” a client and she “high-fived” him right back!!

My manager replaced his shifts and did not schedule him to work again.

Here’s my question – does anyone take responsibility for their actions anymore? Why bother to apply, interview and train for a second, part-time job if you’re not committed to showing up?

I’m beginning to understand that working in Retail World is a series of hits and misses. There are some really good, committed women who work in my store, and I am grateful for the consistency. It makes my job a lot easier.

However, more often than not, someone quits after only working for a few weeks or months. I never really get to know these people and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth for all the time and energy we spent training them.

I know I should just move on. I never met J and I never invested anything in him, except for my expectation that he would actually finish what he started.

I Love This and Can’t Live Without It

Have you ever found that perfect top/blouse/pants/skirt/jacket/coat and said to yourself, “I must have this and cannot live without it?”

If this has happened to you, only to find out the store you’re in doesn’t carry your size and/or color, there is generally a solution to your problem.

Have the store order it for you and send it directly to the address of your choosing.

Sometimes, if there’s a particular item you want, it may be sold-out online. The store should be able to order it for you from another store (somewhere in the United States) and have it shipped directly to the address of your choice.

At my store, the shipping costs $7.50. We can even do overnight delivery for $12.

Sometimes it’s worth it if you’re working within a tight time frame and need that perfect dress for a wedding next weekend.

Just ask your friendly sales associate what the options are. She’ll be glad to help you.

Mini Relationships

Those of you who know me know that I’m a people person. I love people.

And I especially enjoy helping people.

I’ve come to realize that one of my strengths in Retail World is helping needy people. I don’t mean “needy” in a bad way, but “needy” in a good way.

For example, some clients come in by themselves – without a friend, sister, mother, husband or daughter – and these folks need guidance and reassurance while they’re shopping. These clients try on a lot of clothes and want an honest opinion on how good or bad a particular garment looks on them.

I always give my honest opinion, ALWAYS.

And I always bring “add-ons” to my clients, in the hopes they will buy something else they weren’t originally planning on buying. Believe it or not, most do.

These needy clients are fun to work with. I usually spend upwards of an hour with them, and we develop a mini-relationship of sorts.

I find out where they live and what they do, and what special event they are attending.

I find out their favorite colors and what size they wear and if they’ve recently gained or lost weight.

I find out what cut looks good on them, and what doesn’t.

I once helped a mother-of-the-bride select a special dress for her daughter’s wedding; I helped a college-bound girl select a suit for a scholarship dinner/interview she had; and I assisted a woman who had a baby five months ago and was unsure what looked good on her, post-baby.

At the end of each of these encounters, I didn’t want the client to leave the store. I wanted to sit down and have coffee and talk about life and get to know her better.

I wanted to make plans to have breakfast and go shopping with her in the future.

I wanted these clients to be my friends.

I develop these mini-relationships often and sometimes wonder how a certain client is doing, or what she is wearing, months after she comes into the store.

I remember all of these clients, not just because I spent a significant amount of time with them, but also because they were so appreciative to me for my assistance.

I felt like I had invested my time and talents in helping them, and they were genuinely thankful and grateful.

This is why, despite being tired a lot of the time and complaining about working my retail shifts, I really am so lucky to have found a great part-time job where I can help people.

Petite or Missy?

It’s no secret that I wear petite-sized clothing.

Generally speaking, petite sizes are for women 5’4” and under.

If you’re one of those women who are right at the cusp of wearing petite or missy, don’t worry – there’s a solution for you.

Let’s say your normal size is a 6. If the item you want to buy is sold out in your size, you may want to consider trying on a size 4 Petite (4P). This usually only works for blouses, tops and skirts. It most likely will not work with pants.

Overall, the fit and cut of a petite-sized garment is going to be smaller. However, some items are made longer, so a petite size may fit you well, if not better than, a missy size.

The general rule-of-thumb is that if you are normally a missy-size client, you’ll need to go down one size in the petite version of the garment, and vice-versa.

Happy shopping!!

Suit Jackets

The next time you buy a suit jacket, have a sales associate look at the cut on you -- from the front, the back and the side.

The Front
Do the buttons seem to be pulling at all in the front? If so, you may need to go up one size.

The Back
Did you know that the sales associate should not be able to pinch more than one inch of material from the middle of your back? This means that the suit jacket is a good fit on you. If pinching more than one inch of material, you probably need to go down one size.

The Side
Stand straight with your hands at your side. Did you know that the sleeves of the jacket should reach the “meaty” portion of your hand? It should touch right where the heel of your hand meets your thumb. This means that the sleeves are a good length for you.

Finally, when trying on a suit jacket, raise your arms to a steering wheel position (9 o’clock and 3 o’clock). You’re never going to raise your arms above this height, so if the fit is not tight when at this angle, then you’ve got yourself a winner!!

“When Is This Going On Sale?”

I have been asked numerous times by clients when certain merchandise will be going on sale or when our next big sale will be.

Before I started working in Retail World, I always thought store employees would know far in advance when the big sales were coming.

Turns out, we only find out about promotions on the day the sale begins.

I had no idea that paperwork is printed that morning from headquarters (the “mothership”) and that’s how we find out what’s going to be on sale that day.

The same goes for markdowns. Once the paperwork has been printed, we are then aware of what items need to be marked down and by how much.

I hate to say it, but if you want to be the first one to be notified about sales, your best bet is to frequent your retail store of choice approximately once every 14 days. This will almost guarantee that you’ll be the first to see markdowns on items you like.

Or, you can ask a friendly sales associate to add you to their Client Book so that you’re notified of sales as they happen. :)

Inventory

I bet you were dying to know how new clothes make their way into our store.

Here’s the 411: We receive inventory shipments at least once a week. Sometimes we receive two boxes and other times we receive 50 boxes.

Each box contains a myriad of inventory. There could be t-shirts mixed in with scarves and jewelry. Or, there could be sweaters mixed in with shoes and coats.

It’s always fun to open the boxes to see what goodies have arrived that week. The best part is that if I see something I like and want to buy, I can try it on and purchase it before it even hits the sales floor!!

Every single garment is placed in plastic wrapping and perfectly folded with the price tag already attached. It is our job to remove the plastic “outside” to get to the beautiful “inside.”

Once that’s taken care of, we sometimes have to steam the garments in order to remove creases and wrinkles. I actually like steaming (if I don’t burn myself, that is… steam is HOT!!). I wish I had a steamer at home to reduce dry-cleaning costs.

Once the garment is ready, it is placed on a rack to be wheeled out onto the sales floor and then we hang it up in the appropriate location.

Ta-da!! A new clothing item is now ready for purchase.

Taking Trash

Have you ever thought about what happens to all of the trash accumulated from a single retail store? What about a mall full of stores?

Let me tell you… it ain’t pretty and it doesn’t smell good, either.

I was initiated into the task of “taking trash” a few weeks into my employment. One person can’t do it alone (with the exception of a single associate who does it by herself all the time for reasons unknown to me).

Here are the dirty (and I do mean dirty!!) details...

Two people load up the trash onto a rickety cart with wheels. This cart contains numerous plastic bags of trash, as well as a huge stack of broken-down cardboard boxes (in which our inventory was shipped). One person pulls the cart while the other person opens doors and pushes elevator buttons.

The cart is LOUD. You can’t carry on a meaningful conversation – let alone any conversation – while taking trash.

Part of the route for taking trash is to walk through the mall. People look at you like you’re so beneath them. Oh, if they only knew…

After going downstairs to the underbelly of the mall (let your imagination run wild here), the first stop is to unload the plastic bags of trash. Afterward, one person pulls the cart up a pretty steep incline of a ramp to unload the cardboard.

With the cart now completely empty, both people make their way back to the store. After this chore, I usually wash my hands like I’m prepping for surgery. There’s no telling what my hands have just touched.

Also, taking trash is worse in the summer than it is in the winter. Imagine the stench from thousands of bags of trash (a large majority of which contain leftover food from mall restaurants) in 90-degree heat. It’s truly disgusting.

And you thought life in Retail World was glamorous!!

Belts

I admit it. I never used to be a fan of wearing belts unless it was for a specific purpose, like holding up pants on my waist.

Now, however, I am a HUGE fan of belts!! Belts really do flatter everyone’s figure and they make your waist seem smaller by drawing attention to it (weird, I know).

So, the next time you’re shopping for clothes, try on a belt. Try it over a blouse. Try it with a longer cardigan. Try it with a dress!! You’ll be amazed at what a little cinching can do for your figure.

My BFF is Leaving

Everyone has a best friend at work, right?

At my full-time job, I am fortunate and blessed to have multiple close friends. I enjoy working with them Monday through Friday and I also love hanging out with them when we're not at work.

At my part-time retail job, I also have such a friend. I'll call her S.

S is the co-manager of my store and she's being transferred to another, local store. It's a promotion for her, actually, as the store to which she is being transferred does more volume than my store.

From Day One, when I was a retail novice, S trained me and showed me the ins and outs of Retail World. If S and I worked the morning shift together, she and I would get coffee before the store opened.

S and I would talk about anything and everything. She made it such a joy to come to work.

S is the only person older than me who works at the store, so she's like a surrogate big sister and mentor. S and I are two peas in a pod. And S is leaving. And I'm so sad.

S always scheduled me to work great shifts. She'd never overburden me or ask me to work crazy hours. She was patient when I screwed up, and she always helped to fix my mistakes.

S also has GREAT fashion sense!! I've tried on clothes that S has suggested (that I otherwise would never have tried) and she's taught me about the importance of accessorizing (belts, jewelry, scarves, etc.). I'll always be grateful to her for helping me create a new, stylish wardrobe!!

Although S will be just up the road, I'll miss her daily, calming presence at my store. We've already made plans to see each other soon and I know we'll be life-long friends.

But there was something about walking out of the store after my shift ended today, knowing this was the last time I'd work with S in the same place.

It's bittersweet -- I'm really happy she's getting this professional opportunity, but I'll miss her.

I'll miss my friend.

Get A Card!!

One thing that’s drilled into each sales associate is to open credit cards for this store’s national chain. I am brand-loyal with two such cards – one for my store and another card for another store at which I frequent.

The cards aren’t bad, really. There’s no annual fee and you can save 15 percent off your total purchase when you first open an account. That’s a significant savings when you spend a lot of dough on clothes.

Add to that the coupons and e-mail promotions you receive from this store year-round, and you have great incentive to take two extra minutes to apply for a card.

My personal best has been opening six cards in one day -- this just happened last weekend. There is a little tally sheet behind the register where you get to mark how many cards you’ve opened each day.

I always take great pride in marking down the number of cards I’ve opened. It’s like getting a gold star from your teacher on a homework assignment well done… my manager is always happy when I open a card and expects me to do it every shift I work.

I have found that the secret to having clients agree to open a card is to begin discussing the concept in the fitting room.

I know that when a client takes a large amount of clothes into the fitting room to try on, and comes out to admire herself in the three-way mirror and likes what she sees, this becomes the perfect opportunity to talk about the card and how to save 15 percent off her purchase.

Sometimes this tactic works, and other times it does not. In this economy, when people consider that they can save even $20, it becomes less work to convince clients to open a card.

I’ve also had clients open a card on a $10 purchase, which saves them $1.50 after the 15 percent is applied.

I’ve learned that if you don’t ask, the client won’t ever have the opportunity to say “yes.”

Famous People

Yes, we do have clients come into the store who are famous, locally speaking.

There is a retired TV weatherman who once came in with his wife. I sold her an adorable blue jacket and she was most appreciative.

We usually have a lot of female TV anchors come into the shop, as well. There’s a certain weather girl on the local news who always wears our sweaters.

There’s a well-known, female race-car driver who came in the other day, and she left her “unwanteds” lying on the bench in the dressing room (see previous post about “go-backs”). Could she really not hang them back up in some form or fashion and put them on the go-back rack?

And then, when she proceeded to pay for her purchases, she asked if the pants were on sale. No, they were not on sale. In fact, I told her she had to pay double (just kidding!!). But that’s what I felt like saying.

We’ve also had the mayor’s wife come in, as well as the former governor’s wife. Neither bought anything.

It just goes to show you that I wear the same clothes that famous folks do... I just pay a lot less.

Half-Open or Half-Closed?

We have two doors at the entrance of our store. They open out pretty wide to welcome you into Retail World.

The other night at 8:55 p.m. (five minutes before official closing time), I closed one of the two doors. My co-worker made a comment that she felt like doing such made a statement to people that screamed, “We’re about to close up shop for the night, so don’t bother coming in!!”

Faithful readers, do you believe this to be true? Please be honest, as I had not thought about this angle previously.

If you came across a store with one door open and one door closed at five minutes before closing time, would you feel annoyed? Angry? Upset? Bothered? Or would it possibly serve to inform you that the store is closing soon?

I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts and comments.

You're in the Navy Now

Is there anyone out there who needs to buy new clothing in navy blue? Let me tell you… January is the month to get your navy on!!

Who knew that navy is the color of choice in the winter months? In my store, it’s referred to as the “resort collection.” The Retail World Gods seem to think that everyone goes on cruises and travels to luxe beaches in the winter.

Besides some of my lucky colleagues who are on a five-day adventure in Cabo San Lucas this week (no, that’s NOT a jealous tone you’re detecting!!), I don’t know a soul who takes the month of January off from work to travel and wear her navy, sailor-type outfits.

Everywhere I look in my store, there is navy. Frankly, I don’t own a single item in this color. It’s not that I don’t like navy blue, but it’s like a first cousin to the color black, and I’d just rather stick with that and keep life simple.

The Russians

We’ve been really slow this entire week due to the crazy winter weather. The city got 12.5 inches of snow dumped on it and life in Retail World suffered… greatly.

The snow started this past Tuesday. I worked that evening and we didn’t even clear $500 for the entire day!! Thankfully, I was off on Wednesday (the day we got dumped on) and then I worked again last night (Thursday), when the snow had been plowed from the streets and folks were once again able to make their way around town.

When I came into the store last night, we had cleared about $700 for the day (such a dismal number!!). It was up to me and my co-worker to make-up the day’s losses.

Business was fairly slow, but we did have shoppers come in and look around. Most people tried on clothes, but didn’t buy anything. We have this phrase at the store – “Turn lookers into buyers” (cheesy, I know) – but really, that’s what my job is. I need to convince people that they really do need to buy a skirt/suit/blouse/belt/pants.

Around 7 p.m., three women came in. They were obviously friends and they were obviously not from America. As per normal protocol, I greeted them and asked if I could assist in any manner. One of the three spoke broken English and it was she with whom I communicated for next 30 minutes.

Russian Woman #1 tried on a beautiful, black, classic tailored suit and I could tell she was falling in love with it. How do I know when a client is falling in love with a garment? She'll come out of the dressing room wearing the item of choice to look for matching ensemble pieces. Russian Woman #1 came out of the dressing room wearing the suit and frantically looked for a blouse to go underneath the suit jacket.

Russian Woman #2 was in love with a different suit and she tried on both the missy and petite versions. This meant that she WAS going to buy this suit… come hell or high water, in whatever size she could squeeze into!! The interesting thing about Russian Woman #2 was that she came into the store wearing a soft pink, almost see-through sweater… with a black bra. Maybe that goes in Russia, but not in the United States!!

Russian Woman #3 (my interpreter) tried on several pairs of pants. What I love about Russian Woman #3 was that she put all of her clothes (“go-backs”) on the racks when she was finished trying them on. She didn’t end up buying anything, but she made my job a heck of a lot easier!!

The kicker was when I asked Russian Woman #3 if she and her friends were shopping for a special event or occasion. This was when she came close to me, put one hand by her mouth as if about to share a forbidden secret and purred into my anticipatory ear, “Rich Russians Shopping!!” I couldn’t help but raise my eyebrows and laugh out loud!!

Sure enough, Russian Woman #1 bought an entire ensemble and spent around $350. Russian Woman #2 also bought a suit and a medium-weight coat. Her total came to $450 and she paid in cash. The Russians made our night and doubled our day’s net sales.

God Bless Rich Russian Shoppers!! :)

Benefits

I can’t tell you the number of times I have been asked if we have a bathroom. Yes, we do. Of course we do!! Do clients really expect that we work in a place of business for eight-plus hours and not have somewhere to relieve ourselves (both our minds and our bladders)? Only store employees have rights to the store bathroom, though. The nearest public restroom is just 50 feet away, and that appeases most people.

The other nice benefit we have is the use of a microwave in the back room. I only use it on occasion, when my shift is five or more hours. This entitles me to a 30-minute (unpaid) break, during which I usually eat. Do you know how ravenous you can get when standing on your feet for eight hours? Pretty darn hungry!! For those of you in my same situation (and I pray that none of you are), I’ve found that a container of yogurt with sweet granola mixed in hits the spot every time and satisfies me for hours. It’s also a very healthy choice!!

Another super benefit, of course, is The Discount. My menial, hourly salary wouldn’t be worth it otherwise. During a selected number of times each month, employees can receive 50 percent off full-priced items. We also receive 40 percent off all sale-priced items and we also receive 40 percent off at our “sister” stores. It’s quite a deal, considering some items we sell are priced over $250!!

Tricks of the Trade

Many of my close friends know the store at which I work part-time. We constantly send out coupons and e-mail promotions to get you to come into our store to purchase something.

One of the “tricks of the trade” is that we’ll honor your coupon, even if you’ve left it at home. So, the next time you frequent my store (or any of its “sister” stores), just tell them you forgot your coupon at home, and they should honor the discount, no questions asked.

It’s a good way to save you money, and a great way for us to keep your business!!

Straightening – My Newly-Acquired Skill

For all of you nit-picky shoppers out there, the best time to see a store at its straightest is first thing in the morning, in the first hour of business. Remember I described in an earlier post that the two folks who close are responsible for making sure the store is straightened before leaving?

Well, I’ve discovered that this is a highly-acquired skill. The next time you wander into a clothing store, take notice of hanging items with straps, like camisoles or tank tops or dresses. Are the straps lined up perfectly? When you stand before the straps, does it appear to be one perfect line of straps in front of you? Next, look at the pants. Are they all uniform in the way they hang (or are folded) and are they sized appropriately? Or, is there a four mixed in with the 14s?

Then, observe the shirts. Are the sleeves completely parallel to one another and soothing to the eye? Do you see a “sea of sleeves?”

Finally, gaze at the folded items, like sweaters or t-shirts or cardigans. You may make fun of it, but those are folded with a folding board. I am now an expert at folding things with the folding board and have even considered buying my own board to use at home.

You’ve got to admit – even an ugly item looks better if it’s perfectly folded.

Theft

I have learned so much about retail theft that it both fascinates me and freaks me out at the same time.

Let me first admit something that many people don’t know. When I was in junior high, I shoplifted with a friend of mine. We stole some make-up from a large department store. We got caught, of course, and I landed in juvenile court. This action was so uncharacteristic for me, and I felt incredibly guilty for a very long time. Thankfully, I was in my early teens and nothing appeared on my permanent record.

My “punishment” was to talk to my peers about what I had done, and why I did it. And I never did it again. Ever. Lesson definitely learned.

Fast-forward 21 years to the present day. Technology has become so incredible that the clothes we sell in the store are now embedded with a sensor tag sewn inside the garment. When a client purchases something, we “de-sensor” it by swiping it over a magnetic-type surface at the register. This way, the client doesn’t set off the alarm when she leaves the store.


Here are a few things I’ve learned about theft in Retail World:

1.) It is still VERY easy to steal clothes.

2.) If you carry a bag lined with aluminum foil (again, who does that?!?) and place your stolen garments in the bag, it decodes the sensors.

3.) If you notice someone closely hunched over a stack of shirts/pants/sweaters, it is quite likely she is in the process of cutting/ripping off the sensors and placing the stolen merchandise in her getaway bag.


Quite often, we’ll find sensor tags lying on the floor, under a rack of clothes. Just last week, I found several ripped/cut sensor tags within a pile of folded jeans.

Here’s the craziest thing, though – WE DON’T PROSECUTE!! We can’t ever prove that a client stole the merchandise, even though we may catch them in the act.

It’s so disturbing to me, even though I was guilty of this same act when I was a kid. Now that I’m an adult, I expect other adults to not take items for which they have not paid. It’s not fair and it’s not right.

"Go-Backs"

Ever wonder what happens when you’re finished trying on clothes in the fitting room and how these garments make it back to the racks?

The exercise is called “go-backs.” The clothes have to Go Back.

Doing go-backs forces one to understand where clothes are placed in certain areas of the store. I have become so efficient at go-backs that I can clear an entire rack of clothes (30-40 garments) from the fitting room area in less than five minutes.

Nothing is better than when I start a shift and the go-backs have already been cleared by another associate. What’s stressful is when I can’t keep up with go-backs because the store is so incredibly busy (like on Saturdays). Clients are trying on a lot of garments, but not buying them. This creates a lot of go-backs.

Gentle readers, please help me to help you by placing your “unwanteds” on the rack that is located either inside or very near to the fitting room area. We then know these garments are go-backs and we will take the clothes back to their place of origin for the next client to try on. We will also hang them on the hanger in the appropriate manner (yes, we do have a certain way to hang pants!!).

This exercise also helps to clear the fitting rooms. When there is a line of hungry female shoppers who are getting ancy and giving you the Evil Eye, having open fitting rooms is key to everyone’s success. :)

I’m not asking you to hang up in perfection the shirts, pants, sweaters, etc. you tried on. Rather, just walking the two or three extra steps to the go-back rack is so appreciated by us in Retail World... you have no idea.

Closing Time

Not many people think about retail workers and what happens when the store closes its doors for the day. We don’t get to immediately go home. Oh no… there’s A LOT of work still left to do!!

There are always two people who close. This shift generally takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. Here’s how things operate:

5 to 8 p.m.
Sell, sell, sell!!

8 to 9 p.m.

Straighten the racks of clothes (more about this “skill” in an upcoming post) and, if time permits during this hour, bundle up the six containers of trash and take them to the back room. Also, put new trash bags in each of the six trash cans.

9 to 10 p.m.

Person A counts the money in the two cash registers, while Person B (me, the underling) vacuums the fitting rooms and “swiffers” the entire store. I must admit -- I've become a pro at swiffering (is that even a word?). I can catch dust bunnies like nobody's business!!

Person B then also re-counts the money from the registers that Person A has just counted. Emptying the trash also takes place during this hour, if it cannot be accomplished in the previous hour. Person A then performs a “walk-through” to make sure Person B has straightened the clothes in the appropriate manner (more about this “skill” in an upcoming post, also!!).

10 p.m.
Person A locks the store and Person B follows her out. Person A then checks the purse of Person B and vice-versa. This is a good way to prevent store theft. Person A and Person B then walk to their respective vehicles and drive home. Another day of retail adventures is over.

I will gloat here for just a moment to say that the earliest time I have gotten out is 9:15 p.m. (the store closes at 9 p.m.). That’s when Person A and Person B are really tired from working two jobs all day long and mutually agree to “kick butt” and move the closing process along at warp speed. My personal best for vacuuming is 90 seconds.

The latest I’ve gotten out is 10:30 p.m., when the clothes on the store’s racks had to be as perfect as orthodontically-straightened teeth because the district manager (DM) was going to be in town the next day and everything had to be flawless.

Speaking of the DM, she has visited our store twice since I've been employed. For whatever reason (attention to detail, my inability to say "no," etc.), I've become the "go-to" girl for closing the night before the DM arrives. In fact, I have the pleasure, privilege and honor of closing this Sunday evening for just this purpose.

Usually, I close during two nights each week, plus work one weekend shift during the day (when I don't have to close). It makes for a long day, but when I plunk down my hard-earned money for a cashmere sweater at 50 percent off, it's soooo worth it. :)

Cashmere Mafia

Remember that short-lived TV show on NBC? I loved it. The show was quickly canceled, so apparently, a lot of other folks didn’t love it.

Anyhoo… a quick lesson on cashmere. Cashmere is so soft and keeps you very warm in the winter. If you’re anything like me and become cold easily, a cashmere sweater is always a great thing to wear and never goes out of style.

What most people don’t realize is that the lighter color of cashmere, the softer it is. A white, cream, oatmeal or light pink cashmere garment will be much softer to the touch than brown, plum or black cashmere. This is because the dye which colors the garment weighs more in darker colors.

So, the next time you are thinking about buying a cashmere sweater, cardigan, scarf or mittens, do your own test in the store and you’ll feel the difference. :)

Many Happy Returns

Now that the holidays are over, the inevitable happens in Retail World.

Returns.

It’s that dreaded seven-letter word that retailers despise. Personally, however, I LOVE THEM!!

Case in Point:
After the holidays, a client returned a suit jacket to our store that she had ordered online. What she returned was a classic, fully lined, black, 4P (my size, remember?) suit jacket with full sleeves (as opposed to ¾-length sleeves that we carry in our store and which I do not care for).

The jacket was just lying there, unwanted, and it was calling my name. I went to it, gave it a flirtatious smile and appeased its advances by trying it on. As I buttoned the jacket over my cashmere sweater, it returned the favor by fitting me like a glove. I could tell this jacket was falling in love with me, but I wanted to wait before I went any further in this new relationship.

My manager saw me trying on the jacket and said it fit me like nobody’s business. The jacket begged to stay on my body, but I softly replied that it would remain on the hanger in the “hold” closet until payday, and then it would be coming home with me. After all, I’m not the type of girl who puts just anything in her closet on the first try.

After some time had passed, I realized I wanted the jacket to be mine completely. I didn’t want it to wander about the city, going to different events without me. I reassured the jacket that it would never, ever have to endure the rejection of being returned by any other client and that we were meant for each other.

It now hangs in my closet in a place of prominence, and each day that I see it, it reminds me that a girl really can find true love.